Kia unveils new Carnival minivan

Kia Motors on Tuesday released photos of its new Carnival minivan ahead of its global debut at this week's New York International Auto Show.

The new Carnival is the third-generation model of the carmaker's steady selling minivan that was first introduced in 1998. 

In the U.S., the car -- sold under the name Sedona -- posted an accumulated 1.55 million units of sales. Among the number, 978,000 sold overseas.

The new Carnival will be available in seven- and eight-passenger configurations, and is equipped with a host of advanced safety features and driving-aid technologies, Kia said. 

The company added that it has put in much efforts to minimize noise and vibration to make it one of the quietest in the minivan segment. 

The new Carnival will go on sale in Korea in June to be launched in North America in the second half of this year. 

The front-wheel drive Carnival measures 5,115 millimeters long, 1,985 mm wide and stands 1,740 mm tall, with a wheelbase hitting 3,060 mm to reflect a 40 mm increase from the outgoing generation model.

The version to be exported to North America will come with a standard Lambda 3.3-liter gasoline direct injection V6 engine matched up with a six-speed automatic transmission with 276 horsepower and 34 kilogram force meters of torque. 

The carmaker stressed that the 2015 Carnival has a static torsional stiffness that is 36-percent greater than its closest segment competitor, with 76 percent of the body using ultra high strength steel or high strength steel. This, it claimed, provides exceptional rigidity, durability and collision protection for passengers.

Price details have yet to be revealed.

By Lee Ji-yoon and news reports (jylee@heraldcorp.com)